The European Middle Ages

Alexander I of Scotland was born around 1078 to King Malcolm III and Queen Margaret. The couple’s fifth son, Alexander, was named in honor of Pope Alexander II. Four years before his birth, Alexander’s older half-brother, Duncan, was sent to England as a hostage for William I in 1074. Scotland and England had a poor relationship at the time, partly […]

Edgar of Scotland was born around 1074 to King Malcolm III and Queen Margaret. A member of the English royal family, the Anglo-Saxons, Margaret, and her siblings had been forced to flee to Scotland after William I seized the throne in 1066. A devout woman, Margaret originally intended to devote her life to Christ by becoming a nun. However, her […]

Duncan II of Scotland was born around 1060 to King Malcolm III and Queen Ingibiorg. Named after his grandfather, Duncan I, Prince Duncan was his father’s first son and heir. During his childhood, Malcolm came into conflict with William I of England over Edgar Aethling. The last male member of the former ruling family of England, the Anglo-Saxons, Edgar had […]

James IV of Scotland was born on March 17, 1473, to King James III and Queen Margaret. In Scotland, the king was regarded as a disinterested and inept ruler. From his castle in Edinburgh, James ignored his advisors, failed to enforce the law, and allowed his kingdom to become unstable. However, the king’s most unpopular decision was to pursue an […]

Alexander III of Scotland was born on September 4, 1241, to King Alexander II and Queen Marie de Coucy. As his father’s only son, the prince became heir upon his birth. Unfortunately for Alexander, he didn’t get to enjoy his childhood for long. At the young age of seven, the prince became king after his father’s death on July 6, […]